Who gets to rebuild Gaza

Washington Post:

As Palestinians begin thinking about how to rebuild the bombarded Gaza Strip, the biggest hurdle quickly became apparent: Who will be in charge?

European countries, oil-rich Arab kingdoms and the United Nations have all pledged money or aid since Israel declared a cease-fire Sunday in the military offensive it launched Dec. 27. But none of the donors wants to deal with Hamas, the Islamist movement that still controls Gaza but is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the European Union and the United States.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert repeated his government's stance Tuesday that it would block the delivery of reconstruction aid and building materials to Gaza if they benefit Hamas.

Israel's preferred partner is the Palestinian Authority, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas and dominated by his secular Fatah party. Although the Palestinian Authority governs in the West Bank, it was forcibly tossed out of Gaza by Hamas in June 2007.

Abbas's influence has waned since then, even within Fatah. Many Palestinians are angry that he didn't object more loudly to Israel's invasion of Gaza. Instead, the Palestinian Authority's security services effectively bottled up West Bank protests against Israel's actions.

"I don't know what he's thinking," said Qaddura Faris, a Fatah leader based in Ramallah. Abbas, he said, should have cut off negotiations with Israel and led protests in the West Bank against the war. "It seems he doesn't understand the Palestinian mentality."

...

The Palestinian mentality is irrational and defies understanding most of the time. Rational people would never have voted for Hamas to begin with and would not reject the group for certain. Choosing poverty and dependence over freedom and independence is a choice few outside of the Palestinian community would make. Tying oneself to a death cult that brags about its affection for death is a good way to get killed or injured. Now it is a good way to not rebuild the area.

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